Small Batch, Big Profits: Dedication to Detail from Evergreen Organix

Evergreen Organix Edibles

In a white-walled kitchen, chefs shift trays from oven to cooling rack, ingredients from box to bowl. It’s what’s going on in kitchens all over Las Vegas, but the edible dosing safety cards in the lobby and “Quarantined for Testing” signs in the storage area are a clear reminder that Evergreen Organix is cooking with cannabis.

“Everything is handmade in small batches,” says Jerry Velarde, President of Evergreen. “We do high-end, high-quality—not high volume.” At one end of the building, grow rooms generate the raw material for everything from lip balms to vape pens, but edibles are Evergreen Organix’s forte.

Evergreen Organix Edibles

Delivering their first batch at the end of 2015, Evergreen was first in the Nevada edibles market. “We started with brownies, coconut macaroons and chocolate chip cookies,” Velarde explains. They added a few more varieties, “then we started doing chocolate and candies, so we brought in a candy maker. Then we brought in a chocolatier.”

“We’re constantly analyzing what products are in demand,” notes Velarde, “because of our talent here, we’re always able to come up with new things.” Their chocolate experiments are a testament to this credo, including spicy Mexican cinnamon chocolate and a Christmas-y orange chocolate. “Everyone is encouraged to try their own ideas, bring in their own recipes,” describes Misha Cook, Chef and Brand Ambassador. Some may wind up as Evergreen’s Cookie of the Month, such as August’s Red Velvet Cookie or April’s 420 Chocolate Mint Pot Leaf.

Evergreen Organix Edibles

“We are all hands on deck, so I get involved with everything,” laughs Cook, pointing out that all Evergreen products are made from scratch. “Sometimes we’ll make 3,000 [cookies] in a day—when I’m on cookies, I’m on cookies all day.” The vibe is relaxed yet focused as racks of brownies become boxes of sealed plastic bags. Nevada’s tight regulations demand precision, even under pressure: “We have testers come in every day,” Cook reveals. “You have to be very precise. Usually I can whip up pies or cookies and eyeball it, but you really have to measure out there.”

Evergreen is working on a licensing deal in Colorado and plans to expand into California, but they remain closely focused on quality, says Velarde. “For us, it’s all about trying to achieve the best that we can.”

As a lifestyle publication, DOPE Magazine is dedicated to creating purposeful, relevant conversations. When we printed our inaugural issue in 2011 we positioned ourselves in the cannabis arena as a team of professionals determined to normalize the plant. While cannabis remains the central theme of our brand, 2017 has marked a turning point in our progression. We’ve built a steadfast framework of inclusivity when speaking about gender, race, class, politics, family and culture—with the ethos DEFEND.